Bello Matawalle, the governor of Zamfara State, claims that Abdulrasheed Bawa, the head of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), demanded a $2 million bribe from him.
He leveled the accusation in the midst of the expanding split between the governor and the anti-graft organization.
Matawalle demanded Bawa’s resignation in a statement on Wednesday, claiming that Bawa needed to respond to inquiries about possible wrongdoing.
However, the EFCC Chairman retorted that he had nothing to conceal and urged Matawalle to contact the proper authorities if he had any proof against him.
In a BBC Hausa interview, Matawalle firmly asserted that Bawa could not be trusted.
“Accusing governors of everything is not fair. Governments at all levels have treasuries, not just governors. How does the EFCC chief treat them? Let him demonstrate the proof of those at the federal level to the world as he is claiming to have proof of governors.
“If he leaves office, it will be obvious that he is not an honest guy. I have proof that she is guilty. Allow him to leave the office; I guarantee that within 10 seconds, at least 200+ people will arrive with proof of the bribes he received from them. He is aware of his request, which I denied.
He asked me for a $2 million bribe, and I have proof of that. He invited me and gave me the details because he knows the house where we first met. Although he told me governors were visiting his office, I did not. Without supporting proof, I won’t make this claim.
Inquired after for a response, The anti-graft agency’s Wilson Uwujaren claimed that because he had not read the news, he was unable to comment.
When informed that Matawalle had spoken on BBC Hausa, he stated that he did not speak Hausa and requested that the story link be supplied so that he could comment; but, as of the time this report was filed, he had not done so.
